SLIPPERY SLOPES -- Sad Tugs 7"

Florida's Dying -- Orlando -- 2010

Sad Tugs

Pizza I'm Against It

Carburetor

Burnin'

This band plays old school pop-punk in the Queers mold, with songs like "Pizza I'm Against It," the stand-out track. I usually use the label "pop punk" as an insult, but not in this case. This record is not overly slick like pop punk generally is and offers catchy, goofy who-cares attitude. In this recording they go for the reverby vocals like the Jacuzzi Boys and many other bands are doing at the moment, but it is not excessive.

The alernative and superior cover of the record cover prominently features a swastika. Definitely more punk than pop! They're worth catching live as well.

SUPER AIDS – 7"

Ripping Records – Orlando – 2005

Fuck the Wagon

Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ Tits

Girls are for Faggots

Alarm Clock / Hollow End

Nuke ‘em all

Tub of Guts

I just wanna kiss you tonight

Richard – vocals

Sam – guitar & vocals

Dan – bass

Lew – drums

Mike – guitar

The record’s ok – hard, fast punk that almost sounds hardcore except for a more rock’n’roll song structure. Lead guitar parts sound good enough. The song titles give you a good idea of the lyrical concerns. The best part of this release, obviously, is the cover. Those creatures look like they live several miles under the sea – the part where sunlight never reaches.

SHIT EAGLE – 7”

Florida’s Dying – Orlando – 2007

Girls at School

So Sad

Gaysted Love

Another fine FDR release. Extremely lo-fi speedy punk crap. I don’t think a lot of thought went into this – but that’s ok. Gaysted Love reminds me of Twin Infinitives era Royal Trux on helium (and speed). The other 2 are more straight forward. On 33 rpm, the singer’s voice is manlier, and it’s a lot heavier – but drags a little. I’d stay with 45.

FASHION! FASHION! AND THE IMAGE BOYS -- Over Before It Ever Began

Florida's Dying -- Orlando (2007)

Sleazy G -- vocals
Reacharound Robbie -- bass
Tracy Blades -- drums
DJ Dialtone -- guitar, vocals, theremin (!)

The Hit
Shopping in America
She
Last Good Brawl of Summer

The cover sold me on this, but the music would have also. Four solid songs of quick throwaway punk rock with tight no-nonsense guitar and intense, no-range screaming vocals framing respectable rants about consumerism, groovy femmes, fist fighting and the final days of rock-n-roll. It sort of has a Humpers/Candy Snatchers/New Bomb Turks feel to it, if that's any help.

I don't have any complaints about this record. Oh yeah, the 'Last Good Brawl' song has a gratuitous theremin solo in it. Is that a complaint?

POTENTIAL FRENZY – Please Go Away / Airwaves 7”

Neptune Records – Orlando –1992

Peter Oldrid – drums, vocals

Norah Salmon – guitar, vocals

John Saylors- bass, vocals

I only recently became aware of this record. It’s good- maybe was a little retro for 1992 – but there’s nothing wrong with a power pop tune that stays with you (Please Go Away). Airwaves is another song bitchin about radio stations – I’ll never understand why anyone expects or feels entitled to ANYTHING worthwhile from the radio – but it’s still ok. I would recommend tracking this one down – though Ms. Salmon’s “Now, I am sitting on a toilet” look on the front cover is much more alluring than the scowling mugg presented on the back cover.

GHOST AQUARIUM – Light Cannot Escape /Spiritual Cramp 7”

Ripping Records – Orlando (2006)

Ron K – guitar, bass, vocals

Mike Q – drums

Doesn’t sound as spooky as the cover would have you believe. Songs are well played and interesting – just too fast to be spooky. The A-side reminds me of a less friendly (or less stoned) Dinosaur Jr. B-side is a little more distorted and a Christian Death cover. I’m not sure if the Ghost Aquarium is a real band (playing guitar and bass at the same time would be tough for Ron K) or more of a Runnamucks Halloween party. It’s good – track it down & get it.

INCESTIVAL -- 7" compilation EP

KISS OF DEATH RECORDS -- Orlando (2008)

Four bands: New Mexican Disaster Squad, Polluted Youth, Gatorface, Virgins

Personnel:
Sam Johnson -- NMDS, Virgins
Alex Goldfarb -- NMDS, Gatorface
Eric Pitman -- Virgins, Polluted Youth
Rob Ferry -- Polluted Youth
Richard Minino -- NMDS, Gatorface
Nick Allam -- Polluted Youth, Gatorface
Bryan Quilty -- Gatorface
Phil Longo -- Virgins
Brian Wayne Etherington -- NMDS

Songs:
NMDS -- Yesterday's Faults
Polluted Youth -- Carcinogents
Gatorface -- Risky Business
Virgins -- Our Words

The personnel list above explains the title of this solid compilation of related Orlando bands. All of this stuff is straightforward, fairly quick punk rock. Side one is a little rougher, side two more melodic, but don't fret this stuff never gets too rough or too melodic. If I had to pick a standout, I'd probably point to Gatorface. But there's no call to be picky here. Play it all the way through.

DEREK LYN PLASTIC – Methamphetamines EP

Florida’s Dying – Tampa (2006)

D Duncan

R Knight

D Bram

D Woodard

PJ Woodard

Methamphetamines

Waste My Time

Walk the Dead

All My Fault

Great record and another good example of the Machine Gun Etiquette rule – start out with one of your best songs and follow it with a song almost as good, but twice as fast. Can’t lose that way. Methamphetamines has great off-kilter guitar and keyboard riffs and features opinions that would not be endorsed by the Drug Czar. Waste My Time is like 30 seconds long, but a very effective 30 seconds. Side two is great too – it only suffers in comparison to side one. Stellar – track it down & buy it!

BUTTERCUPS/CRETEENS 7" split

FLORIDA'S DYING -- Orlando (2005)

CRETEENS:
I Don't Want to Be Educated
Hound Dog

BUTTERCUPS:
I Wanna Live
Throwing Bulls

No personnel listed.

Both sides are trashy cretin garage punk -- heavy, quick and sloppy.

The Creteens A-side probably has the edge. 'Educated' carries a persuasive message over caveman drums, cymbals and distortion that are hard to distinguish from each other. 'Hound Dog' is surprisingly worthwhile, in a Germs-does-Chuck-Berry 'Round and Round' kind of way. The Buttercups B-side is similar enough that it belongs on the same record.

THE COMETS – Help Me / Big Business Jokes 7”

Orange Records – Orlando (1983)

Mitch Shields
others

Help Me sounds vaguely like the Jam – it’s good, I can listen to it. Big Business Jokes sounds more like the Jam than the Jam does – that’s not a compliment – Jesus – get your own sound!! These dudes have one more single that never seems to turn up. I’m pretty sure they played around the Central Florida region quite a bit. I don’t remember seeing them – but who knows…..I’m also not sure if this Orange Records is the same Orange Records that Rich Rags was on.

THE HATE BOMBS -- Untitled four song 7" EP

SCREAMING APPLE RECORDS (Koln, Germany) -- Orlando (1996)

What a Woman Wants

Like It That Way

Everytime

Cry Into the Night

Dave Ewing -- guitar, vocals

Mick Crowley -- guitar, vocals, organ

Scott Sugiuchi -- bass, chatter

Ken Chiodini -- drums, vocals

More '60s American garage rock from The Hatebombs. You know these revival bands are good when their originals are better than their covers and that is the case here with "Cry in the Night" by Q65 being easily surpassed by the the savage "What a Woman Wants" and "Like It That Way." The latter steals the drum gimmick from the Sonics' "Psycho" to great effect.

THE GROANS -- What to Wear? 7"

LEASH DOG RECORDS -- Orlando (1994)

Happy Birthday 21

Politics of Losing

Nick K -- vocals, guitars

John Guidry -- drums

Ron Trenchmouth -- bass, perc

Darrel Whore -- guitar

This is a poor man's Dream Syndicate with the guy singing, lazy junky music with half-spoke, half-sung vocals, some decent guitarwork, all compressed in the frequency range of the Velvet Underground but without any artistic aspirations. Not bad. "It's a drag growing old," he says.

THE HATE BOMBS -- She's the Girl

Speed-O-Meter -- Orlando (1994)

She's the Girl

Know About You

Dave Ewing -- guitar, lead vocal

Scott Sugiuchi -- bass

Ken Chiodini -- drums, vocal

Mick Crowley -- guitar, vocal, harmonica

The Hate Bombs turned into one of the best 60's garage revival bands of the '90s anywhere, not just Florida. Necessarily derivative, they nonetheless transcended other such bands primarily because they are competent songwriters, not just copycats. Of course, they had the schtick down too. They made it work live. The band rocked, audience danced.

This record, their first, hints at this with two originals. 'She's the One' is the standout. It is not not their best, but not a bad place to start. After all, it's where they started.

DEREK LYN PLASTIC – Plastic Surgery EP

Floridas Dying Records – Orlando (2006?)

Derek Lyn Plastic
Rusty Knight
Joshua Baker
Doug Woodard
Laura Callier

M.N.W.N.
Plastic Surgery
Psycho
Vampires in Heat
You Can’t Tell Me No

Modern mid tempo punk rock with snotty vocals, good production and keyboards (think Lost Sounds). These guy(s) have since defected to Atlanta and may have originated there. They have at least three other records and all sound similar (good!) I think this is #1 in the fine line of Floridas Dying releases.